19 Praise the Lord; praise God our savior! For each day he carries us in his arms.
Interlude
20 Our God is a God who saves! The Sovereign Lord rescues us from death.
21 But God will smash the heads of his enemies, crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways.
22 The Lord says, “I will bring my enemies down from Bashan; I will bring them up from the depths of the sea.
23 You, my people, will wash your feet in their blood, and even your dogs will get their share!” 24 Your procession has come into view, O God—the procession of my God and King as he goes into the sanctuary.
25 Singers are in front, musicians behind; between them are young women playing tambourines.
26 Praise God, all you people of Israel; praise the Lord, the source of Israel’s life.
27 Look, the little tribe of Benjamin leads the way. Then comes a great throng of rulers from Judah and all the rulers of Zebulun and Naphtali.
28 Summon your might, O God. Display your power, O God, as you have in the past.
29 The kings of the earth are bringing tribute to your Temple in Jerusalem.
30 Rebuke these enemy nations—these wild animals lurking in the reeds, this herd of bulls among the weaker calves.
Make them bring bars of silver in humble tribute. Scatter the nations that delight in war.
31 Let Egypt come with gifts of precious metals; let Ethiopia bow in submission to God.
32 Sing to God, you kingdoms of the earth. Sing praises to the Lord.
Interlude
33 Sing to the one who rides across the ancient heavens, his mighty voice thundering from the sky.
34 Tell everyone about God’s power. His majesty shines down on Israel; his strength is mighty in the heavens.
35 God is awesome in his sanctuary. The God of Israel gives power and strength to his people.
Praise be to God!
Wow! The second half of this psalm is a radical departure from the first. Remember the warm, soft promise "God will place the lonely in families?"
How about this? "But God will smash the heads of his enemies, crushing the skulls of those who love their guilty ways. The Lord says, “I will bring my enemies down from Bashan; I will bring them up from the depths of the sea. You, my people, will wash your feet in their blood, and even your dogs will get their share!”
Ouch!
Traditional wisdom has always told us the Old Testament God is a God of Law and Judgment while the New Testament God is a God of love and grace. This is a gross oversimplification. In truth, God has always been warm and gracious to those who love Him. Likewise, He has always rendered judgment upon those who rebel.
But...this seem over the top. Why?
Its the narrow line between respect and contempt. For some reason known only to God, we humans find it nearly impossible not to take advantage of God's grace. We do it every day in little ways. We cut corners with God's standards...all the while knowing that He won't strike us dead on the spot. In short order we quit even giving our transgressions a second thought. Before long, we convince ourselves God isn't even interested.
Believe me...He is! And, God doesn't just get upset with defiant behavior...He goes ballistic.
One of America's great evangelists...Jonathan Edwards preached a sermon titled "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God." His thesis was simple: "There is nothing that keeps wicked men at any one moment out of hell, but the mere pleasure of God."
Edwards offered ten "considerations" from scripture...
1. God may cast wicked men into hell at any given moment.
2. The Wicked deserve to be cast into hell.
3. The Wicked, at this moment, suffer under God's condemnation to Hell.
4. The Wicked, on earth must not think, simply because they are not physically in Hell, God is not angry with them.
5. At any moment God may permit Satan to fall upon the Wicked and seize them as his own
6. If it were not for God's restraints, the evil that lurks in the souls of wicked men, would kindle and flame out into hellfire,
7. The wicked should not feel secure simply because there are not visible means of death before them..
8. All that wicked men may do to save themselves from Hell's pains afford them nothing if they continue to reject Christ.
9. God has never promised to save us from Hell, except for those contained in Christ through the covenant of Grace.
10. The wicked will not escape the wrath of God unless they repent.
It may be that today we need to spend some time contemplating the "real" God, not the God we have created in our own image. We have made God so politically correct that we can hardly imagine He would even raise his voice.
Have I lost the conviction that Edward' sermon is as true today as it was hundreds of years ago? I shouldn't say I'm convinced unless I live in fear for my unbelieving friends. What kind of friend would subscribe to these ten "considerations" yet never breathe a word about it?
Live boldly out there today...
September 25, 2010
September 24, 2010
Psalm 68:1-18
1 Rise up, O God, and scatter your enemies. Let those who hate God run for their lives.
2 Blow them away like smoke. Melt them like wax in a fire. Let the wicked perish in the presence of God.
3 But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy.
4 Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the Lord—rejoice in his presence!
5 Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
6 God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
7 O God, when you led your people out from Egypt, when you marched through the dry wasteland,
Interlude
8 The earth trembled, and the heavens poured down rain before you, the God of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.
9 You sent abundant rain, O God, to refresh the weary land.
10 There your people finally settled, and with a bountiful harvest, O God, you provided for your needy people.
11 The Lord gives the word, and a great army brings the good news.
12 Enemy kings and their armies flee, while the women of Israel divide the plunder.
13 Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures—doves with wings of silver and feathers of gold.
14 The Almighty scattered the enemy kings like a blowing snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.
15 The mountains of Bashan are majestic, with many peaks stretching high into the sky.
16 Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains, at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live, where the Lord himself will live forever?
17 Surrounded by unnumbered thousands of chariots, the Lord came from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary.
18 When you ascended to the heights, you led a crowd of captives. You received gifts from the people, even from those who rebelled against you. Now the Lord God will live among us there.
God places the lonely in families...
This is one of the most interesting phrases I have come across in the psalms. And more...the previous verse tells us God is "father to the fatherless, defender of the widows." It's almost as though God cannot operate fully without being in relationship.
Actually, not "almost." Relationships are the ground upon which God's activities are sewn and harvested. Its probably accurate to say God has done nothing without relationship in mind. Even this earth we habitate...God created with us in mind.
This makes me think that we may never fully appreciate or understand what God has done for us if we don't cultivate healthy relationships. Andrew Greeley once said "Husbands and wives are sacraments to one another. They are the closest thing on earth any of us will get to knowing God.
This is very serious.
Take a look at your spouse. Not what they do, but what they are meant to be...in relationship with you. Think about the meaning of that...at its very best. Its hard to imagine anything better than a real good marriage. That's why we should put so much energy into that relationship...to keep it running in perfect form. Now...as we imagine the possibilities of how good that can be, and how good it has been at times, and multiply that exponentially...we get a picture of who God wants to be for us.
This surely doesn't mean we have to be married. I think it does mean, however, that good relationships are still the model God uses to explain himself to us. So, if we aren't married we should seek out relationships that test us, strengthen us and comfort us. I have two friends...a brother and sister who are that to each other...because they have no other family. Their devotion to one another seems to bring out the best in both. Through it, each probably has a very healthy understanding of God.
After all this, though, the greatest word of hope is if we don't have a relationship, and can't find a relationship, God will find one for us. Why? Because being alone is lonely...and "God places the lonely in families." It may not be a husband or a wife...although it often is. But it will be an opportunity for God to demonstrate His love for us in a way you can most easily recognize.
It may not happen as you expect, or as quickly as you expect, but when it does it is the most intoxicatingly delicious thing in the world. Ask my friend Ramie. She's the happiest woman I know...I read her posts every day. But...when God places you there...look into that person's eyes and imagine God looking back at you. Would it change anything?
Live boldly out there today...
2 Blow them away like smoke. Melt them like wax in a fire. Let the wicked perish in the presence of God.
3 But let the godly rejoice. Let them be glad in God’s presence. Let them be filled with joy.
4 Sing praises to God and to his name! Sing loud praises to him who rides the clouds. His name is the Lord—rejoice in his presence!
5 Father to the fatherless, defender of widows—this is God, whose dwelling is holy.
6 God places the lonely in families; he sets the prisoners free and gives them joy. But he makes the rebellious live in a sun-scorched land.
7 O God, when you led your people out from Egypt, when you marched through the dry wasteland,
Interlude
8 The earth trembled, and the heavens poured down rain before you, the God of Sinai, before God, the God of Israel.
9 You sent abundant rain, O God, to refresh the weary land.
10 There your people finally settled, and with a bountiful harvest, O God, you provided for your needy people.
11 The Lord gives the word, and a great army brings the good news.
12 Enemy kings and their armies flee, while the women of Israel divide the plunder.
13 Even those who lived among the sheepfolds found treasures—doves with wings of silver and feathers of gold.
14 The Almighty scattered the enemy kings like a blowing snowstorm on Mount Zalmon.
15 The mountains of Bashan are majestic, with many peaks stretching high into the sky.
16 Why do you look with envy, O rugged mountains, at Mount Zion, where God has chosen to live, where the Lord himself will live forever?
17 Surrounded by unnumbered thousands of chariots, the Lord came from Mount Sinai into his sanctuary.
18 When you ascended to the heights, you led a crowd of captives. You received gifts from the people, even from those who rebelled against you. Now the Lord God will live among us there.
God places the lonely in families...
This is one of the most interesting phrases I have come across in the psalms. And more...the previous verse tells us God is "father to the fatherless, defender of the widows." It's almost as though God cannot operate fully without being in relationship.
Actually, not "almost." Relationships are the ground upon which God's activities are sewn and harvested. Its probably accurate to say God has done nothing without relationship in mind. Even this earth we habitate...God created with us in mind.
This makes me think that we may never fully appreciate or understand what God has done for us if we don't cultivate healthy relationships. Andrew Greeley once said "Husbands and wives are sacraments to one another. They are the closest thing on earth any of us will get to knowing God.
This is very serious.
Take a look at your spouse. Not what they do, but what they are meant to be...in relationship with you. Think about the meaning of that...at its very best. Its hard to imagine anything better than a real good marriage. That's why we should put so much energy into that relationship...to keep it running in perfect form. Now...as we imagine the possibilities of how good that can be, and how good it has been at times, and multiply that exponentially...we get a picture of who God wants to be for us.
This surely doesn't mean we have to be married. I think it does mean, however, that good relationships are still the model God uses to explain himself to us. So, if we aren't married we should seek out relationships that test us, strengthen us and comfort us. I have two friends...a brother and sister who are that to each other...because they have no other family. Their devotion to one another seems to bring out the best in both. Through it, each probably has a very healthy understanding of God.
After all this, though, the greatest word of hope is if we don't have a relationship, and can't find a relationship, God will find one for us. Why? Because being alone is lonely...and "God places the lonely in families." It may not be a husband or a wife...although it often is. But it will be an opportunity for God to demonstrate His love for us in a way you can most easily recognize.
It may not happen as you expect, or as quickly as you expect, but when it does it is the most intoxicatingly delicious thing in the world. Ask my friend Ramie. She's the happiest woman I know...I read her posts every day. But...when God places you there...look into that person's eyes and imagine God looking back at you. Would it change anything?
Live boldly out there today...
September 23, 2010
Psalm 67
1 May God be merciful and bless us. May his face smile with favor on us.
Interlude
2 May your ways be known throughout the earth, your saving power among people everywhere.
3 May the nations praise you, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise you.
4 Let the whole world sing for joy, because you govern the nations with justice and guide the people of the whole world.
Interlude
5 May the nations praise you, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise you.
6 Then the earth will yield its harvests, and God, our God, will richly bless us.
7 Yes, God will bless us, and people all over the world will fear him.
"If...then" is an equation common to life. Look carefully at how I wrote this out because the great mystery of life is "how do we connect the dots between if and then?"
We all understand it because we've experienced it countless times. This "if...then" equation is a riddle we are all forced to solve constantly. You see, we're all born into this world with no prior experience so we are unable to naturally draw conclusions about how experiences in life are connected. Immediately after birth we begin connecting the dots. Over time, we successfully solve most of life's riddles. Some of us more quickly that others.
But, its not all trial and error.
God created us with the ability to reason. So in short order we begin the process known as "deductive reasoning." We comprehend a general situation and begin to trace specific steps that led up to the situation.
For example, I notice I am wet. That is a general assessment. If I'm curious, I trace my actions back until I can figure out how I got wet and I draw specific conclusions about how it happened. My riddle becomes "If I jump in the water...then I get wet."
Riddle solved...
I'm not trying to insult your intelligence here...its just that some of us never get real good at connecting life's more critical dots. Usually life's most meaningful and critical riddles have several, very nuanced, dots. We give up trying to unravel them. As a result, we live dysfunctional impoverished lives...financially, professionally, relationally or spiritually, depending on which dots we failed to connect.
Have you ever felt like you're pouring your energy and resources into a bottomless pit? No matter how hard you worked the rewards didn't seem to reflect the investment? That's not uncommon. Nearly always its because we didn't "connect the dots." You know what's even more troubling? This will never, ever, change until we take the time to connect the dots.
So, when our psalmist says "Then the earth will yield its harvests" this is a "then" worth investigating. If we can walk backwards from the general case of the earth "yielding its harvest" we may discover what specifically leads to this end.
Fortunately, God loves us so much that this one doesn't have too many dots. We need only walk back one verse. "May (if) the nations praise you, O God. Yes, may (if) all the nations praise you." Voila! "If the nations praise God, then the earth will yield its harvest."
I can't help but be curious about this one. God, in his loving fatherly way, made this so simple. This is like letting your child stand one foot away from the dart board. Could God have made it any more easy? Yet...how many of us fail to make the connection?
We've heard "insanity" defined as "doing the same thing but hoping for a different result." Well, here's our question today: Are we tired of the general state of affairs in our life? Are we where we always dreamed we'd be, or have we fallen short? Is there so much we hoped for that never materialized? I sure hope its not because we're so stubborn we just want to figure out our own way to mine life's treasures. That would be insanity. Suppose this psalm is true? What if its all lying at our feet waiting for us to connect the dots? "If we praise God...then the earth will yield it's harvest."
I wonder if the psalms are God's dots...
Live boldly out there today...
Interlude
2 May your ways be known throughout the earth, your saving power among people everywhere.
3 May the nations praise you, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise you.
4 Let the whole world sing for joy, because you govern the nations with justice and guide the people of the whole world.
Interlude
5 May the nations praise you, O God. Yes, may all the nations praise you.
6 Then the earth will yield its harvests, and God, our God, will richly bless us.
7 Yes, God will bless us, and people all over the world will fear him.
"If...then" is an equation common to life. Look carefully at how I wrote this out because the great mystery of life is "how do we connect the dots between if and then?"
We all understand it because we've experienced it countless times. This "if...then" equation is a riddle we are all forced to solve constantly. You see, we're all born into this world with no prior experience so we are unable to naturally draw conclusions about how experiences in life are connected. Immediately after birth we begin connecting the dots. Over time, we successfully solve most of life's riddles. Some of us more quickly that others.
But, its not all trial and error.
God created us with the ability to reason. So in short order we begin the process known as "deductive reasoning." We comprehend a general situation and begin to trace specific steps that led up to the situation.
For example, I notice I am wet. That is a general assessment. If I'm curious, I trace my actions back until I can figure out how I got wet and I draw specific conclusions about how it happened. My riddle becomes "If I jump in the water...then I get wet."
Riddle solved...
I'm not trying to insult your intelligence here...its just that some of us never get real good at connecting life's more critical dots. Usually life's most meaningful and critical riddles have several, very nuanced, dots. We give up trying to unravel them. As a result, we live dysfunctional impoverished lives...financially, professionally, relationally or spiritually, depending on which dots we failed to connect.
Have you ever felt like you're pouring your energy and resources into a bottomless pit? No matter how hard you worked the rewards didn't seem to reflect the investment? That's not uncommon. Nearly always its because we didn't "connect the dots." You know what's even more troubling? This will never, ever, change until we take the time to connect the dots.
So, when our psalmist says "Then the earth will yield its harvests" this is a "then" worth investigating. If we can walk backwards from the general case of the earth "yielding its harvest" we may discover what specifically leads to this end.
Fortunately, God loves us so much that this one doesn't have too many dots. We need only walk back one verse. "May (if) the nations praise you, O God. Yes, may (if) all the nations praise you." Voila! "If the nations praise God, then the earth will yield its harvest."
I can't help but be curious about this one. God, in his loving fatherly way, made this so simple. This is like letting your child stand one foot away from the dart board. Could God have made it any more easy? Yet...how many of us fail to make the connection?
We've heard "insanity" defined as "doing the same thing but hoping for a different result." Well, here's our question today: Are we tired of the general state of affairs in our life? Are we where we always dreamed we'd be, or have we fallen short? Is there so much we hoped for that never materialized? I sure hope its not because we're so stubborn we just want to figure out our own way to mine life's treasures. That would be insanity. Suppose this psalm is true? What if its all lying at our feet waiting for us to connect the dots? "If we praise God...then the earth will yield it's harvest."
I wonder if the psalms are God's dots...
Live boldly out there today...
September 22, 2010
Psalm 66
1 Shout joyful praises to God, all the earth!
2 Sing about the glory of his name! Tell the world how glorious he is.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! Your enemies cringe before your mighty power.
4 Everything on earth will worship you; they will sing your praises, shouting your name in glorious songs.”
Interlude
5 Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people!
6 He made a dry path through the Red Sea, and his people went across on foot. There we rejoiced in him.
7 For by his great power he rules forever. He watches every movement of the nations; let no rebel rise in defiance. Interlude
8 Let the whole world bless our God and loudly sing his praises.
9 Our lives are in his hands, and he keeps our feet from stumbling.
10 You have tested us, O God; you have purified us like silver.
11 You captured us in your net and laid the burden of slavery on our backs.
12 Then you put a leader over us. We went through fire and flood, but you brought us to a place of great abundance.
13 Now I come to your Temple with burnt offerings to fulfill the vows I made to you—
14 yes, the sacred vows that I made when I was in deep trouble.
15 That is why I am sacrificing burnt offerings to you— the best of my rams as a pleasing aroma, and a sacrifice of bulls and male goats.
Interlude
16 Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me.
17 For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke.
18 If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
19 But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer.
20 Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me.
There seems to be agreement that this psalm alludes to the deliverance of Israel by the Messiah. So, it is a future psalm referring to Christ.
To the point, what does our psalmist tell us about the coming of the Messiah that we can apply to our lives today...as we await our Messiah?
This psalm tells us what we should be doing...
But, you know...that is not comforting for everybody...
Live boldly out there today...
2 Sing about the glory of his name! Tell the world how glorious he is.
3 Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! Your enemies cringe before your mighty power.
4 Everything on earth will worship you; they will sing your praises, shouting your name in glorious songs.”
Interlude
5 Come and see what our God has done, what awesome miracles he performs for people!
6 He made a dry path through the Red Sea, and his people went across on foot. There we rejoiced in him.
7 For by his great power he rules forever. He watches every movement of the nations; let no rebel rise in defiance. Interlude
8 Let the whole world bless our God and loudly sing his praises.
9 Our lives are in his hands, and he keeps our feet from stumbling.
10 You have tested us, O God; you have purified us like silver.
11 You captured us in your net and laid the burden of slavery on our backs.
12 Then you put a leader over us. We went through fire and flood, but you brought us to a place of great abundance.
13 Now I come to your Temple with burnt offerings to fulfill the vows I made to you—
14 yes, the sacred vows that I made when I was in deep trouble.
15 That is why I am sacrificing burnt offerings to you— the best of my rams as a pleasing aroma, and a sacrifice of bulls and male goats.
Interlude
16 Come and listen, all you who fear God, and I will tell you what he did for me.
17 For I cried out to him for help, praising him as I spoke.
18 If I had not confessed the sin in my heart, the Lord would not have listened.
19 But God did listen! He paid attention to my prayer.
20 Praise God, who did not ignore my prayer or withdraw his unfailing love from me.
There seems to be agreement that this psalm alludes to the deliverance of Israel by the Messiah. So, it is a future psalm referring to Christ.
To the point, what does our psalmist tell us about the coming of the Messiah that we can apply to our lives today...as we await our Messiah?
This psalm tells us what we should be doing...
- First, "Sing about the glory of his name! Tell the world how glorious he is." Much of the church has gone off message and believes our mission is to transform our culture. I don't see it. What I see is this: Our task is consistent with the Great Commission." We are to be bearers of the "Good News." If we allow God's Spirit to transform us...any cultural transformation that interests God will be accomplished. The problem is, we don't want to be transformed...we want to be transformers.
- Next, "Say to God, “How awesome are your deeds! " My middle son drove to Dallas to visit his brother last weekend...it was Erik's birthday. Erik was really touched by the gesture and texted me Sunday. He said "Dad, Christian is so awesome!" And, Christian is. But that's not the point. the point is Erik recognized it and also expressed it. That 's what Christ desires in our lives. How long has it been since we have been so wrapped up in God that we couldn't help it. We just had to say... "Dude, you are so awesome!"
- Our psalmist makes a covenant with God and says "Now I come to your Temple with burnt offerings to fulfill the vows I made to you—yes, the sacred vows that I made when I was in deep trouble." This is probably our greatest area of weakness...our inability of faithfully maintain our devotion to Christ. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. In spite of that, God wants us to remember the vows we have made to Him and work to fulfill them every day. Our relationship with God is not at it's best when we are lazy or undisciplined.
- In case we thinkthis great historical event will only impact those who "get it", we need to remember that "Everything on earth will worship (Him)." This means no injustice... anywhere. We won't have to be consumed and distracted by the wickedness that rages around us today. All of that will be gone and peace will prevail...the lion will lie down withthe lamb.
- And, just to make it extra amazing? "By his great power he rules forever." I'm old. It seem like I've lived a lifetime. Well, I guess it actually is a lifetime. Living it more than once might be more than I could stand...lots of highs and lows, you see. But...When Christ returns and puts things right...it will last forever. Now think about the possibilities of living your live again, 2, 5, 100 times...and more, but not making some of those embarrassing mistakes. I could do that!
But, you know...that is not comforting for everybody...
Live boldly out there today...
September 21, 2010
Psalm 65
1 What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion. We will fulfill our vows to you,
2 for you answer our prayers. All of us must come to you.
3 Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all.
4 What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts. What festivities await us inside your holy Temple.
5 You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas.
6 You formed the mountains by your power and armed yourself with mighty strength.
7 You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves and silenced the shouting of the nations.
8 Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders.
From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy.
9 You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile. The river of God has plenty of water; it provides a bountiful harvest of grain, for you have ordered it so.
10 You drench the plowed ground with rain, melting the clods and leveling the ridges. You soften the earth with showers and bless its abundant crops.
11 You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.
12 The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy.
13 The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain. They all shout and sing for joy!
According to most traditions the occasion of this psalm was the return of the ark of God to Jerusalem. Without doubt, the Ark is the most sacred relic in Hebrew history. It housed the stone commandments given to Moses on Sinai as well as a jar of Manna and Aaron's staff. It was the very dwelling place of God...until the Hebrews could build God a house of His own.
This is an interesting story that bears review.
The Israelites were defeated in battle by the Philistines, who captured the Ark. When the news reached the old priest Eli, he was so mortified that he fell dead. His daughter-in-law, bearing a son at the time named him Ichabod—explained as "Where is glory?" in reference to the loss of the Ark (1 Sam. 4:12-22).
The Philistines took the Ark to several places in their country, and at each place misfortune befell them (1 Sam. 5:1-6). After seven months the Philistines returned it to the Israelites, along with a gold offering. Ultimately the Ark was taken to Kirjath-jearim where it remained for twenty years. Under King Saul, the Ark basically became an afterthought.
God...an afterthought? Sound like some churches we may have visited?
At the beginning of his reign, King David determined to bring the Ark to Jerusalem. The decision was accompanied by great rejoicing. On the way, one of the drivers of the cart put out his hand to steady the Ark, and was smitten by God for touching it. David, in fear, carried the Ark aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite, instead of carrying it on to Zion, and there it stayed three months (2 Samuel 6:1-11; 1 Chronicles 13:1-13).
When the Ark finally arrived in Jerusalem King David, basically wearing only his boxers, "danced before the Lord with all his might" — a total embarrassment to his wife so she rebuked him. (2 Sam. 6:12-16, 20-22; 1 Chron. 15). This act on her part prompted God to make her barren.
So you get it...this was a "huge" deal. Worthy of celebration.
Here is David's response...after he was done dancing, I guess; "What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion. We will fulfill our vows to you, for you answer our prayers. All of us must come to you. Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all." What had been little more than an afterthought for the nation was now securely ensconced at the center of their national identity.
And the expectation? "What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts. What festivities await us inside your holy Temple. You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas." David believed a sense of national joy would pervade the country when the citizens got a true sense of what it meant to be chosen by God. David also felt now that God's Ark was in it's proper place, God would once again be recognized as the hope of the entire world. It's a "national" psalm so we should probably aim any applications we draw from it toward the Church in general. And of course I wonder...In what state do we find our church today? Are we like Israel before the Ark was returned to Jerusalem? Defeated, derided and distracted? or are we like Israel after the Ark was returned? Elated...with as sense of obedience, forgiveness, salvation and hope?
The implication of this psalm is simple. The closer God is to the place where He belongs, the greater devotion and humility our Church will exhibit. God will once again be "the hope of everyone on earth."
I think our Church needs some prayer...
Live boldly out there today...
2 for you answer our prayers. All of us must come to you.
3 Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all.
4 What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts. What festivities await us inside your holy Temple.
5 You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas.
6 You formed the mountains by your power and armed yourself with mighty strength.
7 You quieted the raging oceans with their pounding waves and silenced the shouting of the nations.
8 Those who live at the ends of the earth stand in awe of your wonders.
From where the sun rises to where it sets, you inspire shouts of joy.
9 You take care of the earth and water it, making it rich and fertile. The river of God has plenty of water; it provides a bountiful harvest of grain, for you have ordered it so.
10 You drench the plowed ground with rain, melting the clods and leveling the ridges. You soften the earth with showers and bless its abundant crops.
11 You crown the year with a bountiful harvest; even the hard pathways overflow with abundance.
12 The grasslands of the wilderness become a lush pasture, and the hillsides blossom with joy.
13 The meadows are clothed with flocks of sheep, and the valleys are carpeted with grain. They all shout and sing for joy!
According to most traditions the occasion of this psalm was the return of the ark of God to Jerusalem. Without doubt, the Ark is the most sacred relic in Hebrew history. It housed the stone commandments given to Moses on Sinai as well as a jar of Manna and Aaron's staff. It was the very dwelling place of God...until the Hebrews could build God a house of His own.
This is an interesting story that bears review.
The Israelites were defeated in battle by the Philistines, who captured the Ark. When the news reached the old priest Eli, he was so mortified that he fell dead. His daughter-in-law, bearing a son at the time named him Ichabod—explained as "Where is glory?" in reference to the loss of the Ark (1 Sam. 4:12-22).
The Philistines took the Ark to several places in their country, and at each place misfortune befell them (1 Sam. 5:1-6). After seven months the Philistines returned it to the Israelites, along with a gold offering. Ultimately the Ark was taken to Kirjath-jearim where it remained for twenty years. Under King Saul, the Ark basically became an afterthought.
God...an afterthought? Sound like some churches we may have visited?
At the beginning of his reign, King David determined to bring the Ark to Jerusalem. The decision was accompanied by great rejoicing. On the way, one of the drivers of the cart put out his hand to steady the Ark, and was smitten by God for touching it. David, in fear, carried the Ark aside into the house of Obed-edom the Gittite, instead of carrying it on to Zion, and there it stayed three months (2 Samuel 6:1-11; 1 Chronicles 13:1-13).
When the Ark finally arrived in Jerusalem King David, basically wearing only his boxers, "danced before the Lord with all his might" — a total embarrassment to his wife so she rebuked him. (2 Sam. 6:12-16, 20-22; 1 Chron. 15). This act on her part prompted God to make her barren.
So you get it...this was a "huge" deal. Worthy of celebration.
Here is David's response...after he was done dancing, I guess; "What mighty praise, O God, belongs to you in Zion. We will fulfill our vows to you, for you answer our prayers. All of us must come to you. Though we are overwhelmed by our sins, you forgive them all." What had been little more than an afterthought for the nation was now securely ensconced at the center of their national identity.
And the expectation? "What joy for those you choose to bring near, those who live in your holy courts. What festivities await us inside your holy Temple. You faithfully answer our prayers with awesome deeds, O God our savior. You are the hope of everyone on earth, even those who sail on distant seas." David believed a sense of national joy would pervade the country when the citizens got a true sense of what it meant to be chosen by God. David also felt now that God's Ark was in it's proper place, God would once again be recognized as the hope of the entire world. It's a "national" psalm so we should probably aim any applications we draw from it toward the Church in general. And of course I wonder...In what state do we find our church today? Are we like Israel before the Ark was returned to Jerusalem? Defeated, derided and distracted? or are we like Israel after the Ark was returned? Elated...with as sense of obedience, forgiveness, salvation and hope?
The implication of this psalm is simple. The closer God is to the place where He belongs, the greater devotion and humility our Church will exhibit. God will once again be "the hope of everyone on earth."
I think our Church needs some prayer...
Live boldly out there today...
September 20, 2010
Psalm 64
1 O God, listen to my complaint. Protect my life from my enemies’ threats.
2 Hide me from the plots of this evil mob, from this gang of wrongdoers.
3 They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows.
4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent, attacking suddenly and fearlessly.
5 They encourage each other to do evil and plan how to set their traps in secret. “Who will ever notice?” they ask.
6 As they plot their crimes, they say, “We have devised the perfect plan!” Yes, the human heart and mind are cunning.
7 But God himself will shoot them with his arrows, suddenly striking them down.
8 Their own tongues will ruin them, and all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
9 Then everyone will be afraid; they will proclaim the mighty acts of God and realize all the amazing things he does.
10 The godly will rejoice in the Lord and find shelter in him. And those who do what is right will praise him.
“We have devised the perfect plan!”
How many times have we heard that? Whether it be the congressional "Deem and Pass" scheme or something else...we always want to think we're the smartest person in the room. "Yes, the human heart and mind are cunning." Although, "cunning" is not actually the adjective that God would like to see ascribed to our reputations. A dictionary will tell us that "cunning" means "skill employed in a shrewd or sly manner, as in deceiving; craftiness; guile." It doesn't really equate to Christ's command to his disciples in Matthew "Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."
But it is how people "plot their crimes."
I have a thought about this. If we can't achieve our objective by a means other than "cunning" it's probably not a worthy objective. I know, we like to call it "creative solutions" but...to my knowledge there is only one Creator...and it's not us. Many have tried...all will fail. "Creativity" (AKA cunning) is what Bernie Madoff did. "Creativity" is what caused the sub-prime housing disaster. "Creativity" is what led AIG to bankruptcy.
We won't rise to the ethereal levels of craftiness that the world admires. We won't amass the toys common to the rich and famous. But we will find shelter in the One who supplies all our needs.
Live boldly out there today...
2 Hide me from the plots of this evil mob, from this gang of wrongdoers.
3 They sharpen their tongues like swords and aim their bitter words like arrows.
4 They shoot from ambush at the innocent, attacking suddenly and fearlessly.
5 They encourage each other to do evil and plan how to set their traps in secret. “Who will ever notice?” they ask.
6 As they plot their crimes, they say, “We have devised the perfect plan!” Yes, the human heart and mind are cunning.
7 But God himself will shoot them with his arrows, suddenly striking them down.
8 Their own tongues will ruin them, and all who see them will shake their heads in scorn.
9 Then everyone will be afraid; they will proclaim the mighty acts of God and realize all the amazing things he does.
10 The godly will rejoice in the Lord and find shelter in him. And those who do what is right will praise him.
“We have devised the perfect plan!”
How many times have we heard that? Whether it be the congressional "Deem and Pass" scheme or something else...we always want to think we're the smartest person in the room. "Yes, the human heart and mind are cunning." Although, "cunning" is not actually the adjective that God would like to see ascribed to our reputations. A dictionary will tell us that "cunning" means "skill employed in a shrewd or sly manner, as in deceiving; craftiness; guile." It doesn't really equate to Christ's command to his disciples in Matthew "Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves."
But it is how people "plot their crimes."
I have a thought about this. If we can't achieve our objective by a means other than "cunning" it's probably not a worthy objective. I know, we like to call it "creative solutions" but...to my knowledge there is only one Creator...and it's not us. Many have tried...all will fail. "Creativity" (AKA cunning) is what Bernie Madoff did. "Creativity" is what caused the sub-prime housing disaster. "Creativity" is what led AIG to bankruptcy.
We won't rise to the ethereal levels of craftiness that the world admires. We won't amass the toys common to the rich and famous. But we will find shelter in the One who supplies all our needs.
Live boldly out there today...
September 19, 2010
Psalm 63
1 O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water.
2 I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory.
3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!
4 I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.
6 I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night.
7 Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.
9 But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. They will go down into the depths of the earth.
10 They will die by the sword and become the food of jackals.
11 But the king will rejoice in God. All who trust in him will praise him, while liars will be silenced.
If you've ever smoked you know what it's like to crave a cigarette. Even long after the deadly chemicals have left your system...there are still times when you get a longing. The only people who never long for a cigarette are those who never smoked. We tell them they are lucky.
Cravings are bad.
Sort of...but that craving tells us something. It tells us something important about our lives. In this case it tells us we had a relationship with nicotine that may have been improperly managed. So the craving plays an important informative role in our lives. The same is true of food, alcohol or drugs...nearly anything we can consume.
Potato chips!
Cravings can be good, because they remind us of important relationships that continue...and are positive. After a long run our bodies crave oxygen and water. The deficit is evident and we gasp for it. The only people who never long for oxygen are not breathing.
When was the last time we craved God? I mean really had a physical reaction to His lack of presence in our lives? David did. "O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. "
"My soul thirsts for you. My spirit feels parched and dry." This tells us a lot about David. It tells us he had a relationship with God that was very intimate. So intimate, in fact, that when the intimacy faded his entire being felt the craving. He had felt the richness of God's presence in his life and it was addictive. He couldn't thrive without it. "Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!"
Craving for God doesn't happen nearly often enough in my life. Maybe that tells me I've never developed a spiritual addiction for his presence. Perhaps I've been more of a "recreational" user. It's not a question of salvation. It's a question of whether or not I've ever really gotten "hooked" on God.
David says "I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night." Perhaps that's a place we can begin sorting this out. Tonight I'm going to "lie awake" and think...meditate...on why I don't feel this craving as often as I should. I'm sure I already have some ideas but I'll bet God will bring even more clarity.
I should prepare for a long night, but David says "You satisfy me more than the richest feast." I know that to be true. So my small investment should reap lasting dividends.
Live boldly out there today...
2 I have seen you in your sanctuary and gazed upon your power and glory.
3 Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!
4 I will praise you as long as I live, lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
5 You satisfy me more than the richest feast. I will praise you with songs of joy.
6 I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night.
7 Because you are my helper, I sing for joy in the shadow of your wings.
8 I cling to you; your strong right hand holds me securely.
9 But those plotting to destroy me will come to ruin. They will go down into the depths of the earth.
10 They will die by the sword and become the food of jackals.
11 But the king will rejoice in God. All who trust in him will praise him, while liars will be silenced.
If you've ever smoked you know what it's like to crave a cigarette. Even long after the deadly chemicals have left your system...there are still times when you get a longing. The only people who never long for a cigarette are those who never smoked. We tell them they are lucky.
Cravings are bad.
Sort of...but that craving tells us something. It tells us something important about our lives. In this case it tells us we had a relationship with nicotine that may have been improperly managed. So the craving plays an important informative role in our lives. The same is true of food, alcohol or drugs...nearly anything we can consume.
Potato chips!
Cravings can be good, because they remind us of important relationships that continue...and are positive. After a long run our bodies crave oxygen and water. The deficit is evident and we gasp for it. The only people who never long for oxygen are not breathing.
When was the last time we craved God? I mean really had a physical reaction to His lack of presence in our lives? David did. "O God, you are my God; I earnestly search for you. My soul thirsts for you; my whole body longs for you in this parched and weary land where there is no water. "
"My soul thirsts for you. My spirit feels parched and dry." This tells us a lot about David. It tells us he had a relationship with God that was very intimate. So intimate, in fact, that when the intimacy faded his entire being felt the craving. He had felt the richness of God's presence in his life and it was addictive. He couldn't thrive without it. "Your unfailing love is better than life itself; how I praise you!"
Craving for God doesn't happen nearly often enough in my life. Maybe that tells me I've never developed a spiritual addiction for his presence. Perhaps I've been more of a "recreational" user. It's not a question of salvation. It's a question of whether or not I've ever really gotten "hooked" on God.
David says "I lie awake thinking of you, meditating on you through the night." Perhaps that's a place we can begin sorting this out. Tonight I'm going to "lie awake" and think...meditate...on why I don't feel this craving as often as I should. I'm sure I already have some ideas but I'll bet God will bring even more clarity.
I should prepare for a long night, but David says "You satisfy me more than the richest feast." I know that to be true. So my small investment should reap lasting dividends.
Live boldly out there today...
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